


Paper Airplane

by MeetMeAtTheEndOfTheUniverse



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/F, Witness Protection, non Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2020-09-23 15:47:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 17,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20342635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeetMeAtTheEndOfTheUniverse/pseuds/MeetMeAtTheEndOfTheUniverse
Summary: She's been so many people. She's tired of running, she just wants to go home.As Alex runs for her life, Olivia does all she can to get the love of her life back and safe in her arms again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Lovelies!
> 
> First of all this is very non canon! None of these characters belong to me as much as I wish they did. This was originally a song-fic basis type thing but I can't have lyrics so I've had to tweak it a bit. I hope you like it! Drop a comment if there's anything you'd like to say. All mistakes are mine so lt me know if there's anything that should be changed. 
> 
> Love and Kisses, Bre<3

"We got him El. Let's bring this bastard down." Olivia calls grabbing her leather jacket and running to the car. Her partner chasing after her.

Angelo "angel" Giovanni, their latest rapist. Cornered a 15 year old girl in an alley, raped and beat her leaving her broken body for dead. Young Paige isn't the only reasons Olivia's ready to bring him down. It's because of her. Alexandra Cabot.   
Angelo had been Valez's right hand man. He'd been the one to shoot the ADA. He made her leave. She'd get revenge if it was the last thing she did.

The two detectives pull up to an abandoned warehouse. 

"You sure this is right?" Elliot asks hesitantly, knowing that one wrong word could cause his partner to blow up. 

Olivia glances down at the paper in her hand. "This is it." 

They get out of the car, careful not to slam any doors. Quickly and quietly they make their way into the warehouse with their guns drawn in front of their faces in a defensive position.

Elliot peeks around the corner seeing angel with a little girl. The blonde child is only maybe 8 years old. Her grey eyes are filled with tears as he slips a hand over her knee.

Both detectives burst out from around bye corner guns raised high pointed right at their target.

"NYPD, put your hands in the air!" Olivia shouts. He startles pulling the girl into a chokehold grabbing a gun from his waistband.

He points it to her head. "Put your guns down!" He yells. "I'll shoot her."

"We can't do that Angelo." Elliot replies, eyes never leaving the little girls scared face

After back and forth negotiation Olivia finally sees an opportunity to take the shot. 

She looks the girl straight in the eye and screams. "Drop!"

The girl instantly drops. Angelo so stunned by the sudden movement doesn't move his gun from Olivia. Elliot takes the moment to shoot him. 

He drops to the ground with a bullet in his chest. Dead.


	2. Chapter 2

It's about an hour later CSU and the detectives are looking around the warehouse. Olivia comes across a locked room in a small secret crook.

She jiggles the knob and when it doesn't open, she doesn't even think about asking if one of the CSU members had found a key she just rams her shoulder into the door, busting it open.

She instinctively rests her hand on her gun, as she turns on the light in the small room. As the pale orange light illuminates the area, Olivia stands frozen seeing for the first time the contents of the locked room. 

"El-Elliot...Elliot!" She yells slightly panicking 

Her partner comes running into the room and freezes just as she did.

"What the hell?" He breathes

He glances to his partner who's eyes have filled with tears.

He watches as she walks around the room.

"Liv?" He questions gently 

She turns to him. "How- how did he get Alex's pictures?"

All over the room are hundreds of pictures of former ADA Alexandra Cabot. Brown hair. Black hair. It's been 2 years. And she seems to have picked up her life at least 2 times.

On a board were dozens of comments and notes.   
3 names were written down. Cities and states.

Alexandra Cabot- New York - manhattan  
Emily Thomas - Wisconsin- Milwaukee   
Allison white- Michigan- Saugatuck

"They've been tracking her down." Olivia says quietly

"They know where she is." Elliot adds

"Oh my god. We have to warn her." Olivia rushes out of the room

\----- 

4 days later

"Are you sure about this Liv? Will this even work?" Elliot questions. No one else on their team know that Alex Cabot is alive. No one but Elliot, Olivia and the select few agents of the FBI sent to protect her. They're in the car, him watching as his partner puts on makeup and fixes her hair. He's not quite sure why though.

"It has to. We have no other leads. Her handler says she's off the grid and it would be suspicious for a few random people showing up in such a small town. Hammond tells me that he'll make sure she's here by 7. I'll go up sing some karaoke and hope to God she understands."

"And why don't they just move her again."

"I don't know. Hammond tells me that she's refusing to move. We're hoping that if she sees a familiar face and one she trusts telling her it's not safe then maybe she'll understand." The detective adds a little gloss to her lips and poofs up her hair a little.

"And you can't just go up and tell her in case one of Valez's men is watching" He sighs 

She smirks a little. "Exactly.... how do I look?"

Her shoulder length brown hair was curled and fluffed. Her red form fitting v next t shirt clung to her curves in all the right places. The tight black jeans seemed like a second skin. Her makeup light and natural. Elliot wasn't even questioning why she did herself up. He wants to tell her that she's beautiful, that she's always beautiful but he refrains. They're partners. That's it

"You look great." 

She smiles. As she climbs out of the car and into the bar.

It's right before 730 when she decides to climb up on stage. She doesn't know if Alex is even there. Agent Hammond ensured her he'd make sure of it. But the detective had been looking all night for the head of blonde hair. Never even thinking that she could have dyed it.


	3. Chapter 3

Alex POV 

"Let go of me," I rip my arm out of agent Hammond's grip. Damn that man is strong.

"Allison." He hisses

"Don't call me that," I growl back

"You need to go to this bar, it's very important." He softened his face. "Please." 

I sigh. I'm so sick of this shit. "Fine."

"7. Don't be late. You'll understand at 730." He hands me a card with an address. I glance at the small printing.

"Harley's bar and karaoke"

Guess I'm getting drunk.

\---

She stands nervously on stage, playing her part perfectly. 

"Um hello." She fake stutters glancing around the dimly lit room in search of a flash of blonde hair or something familiar. "I'm sorry if I don't sing very well but this is dedicated to a very close friend of mine. Thank you Olivia Benson." The crowd give a quiet clap.

She turns to the DJ missing the pair of eyes staring at her in shock. Alex knows this is for her. And she also know that Olivia knows she's here,

The opening chords play as the former blonde ADA smiles. Olivia knows this is one of her favourite songs. They'd listened to it over and over on their first date.

It was their song. The two women would go to karaoke bars just like this and sing together. 

The former ADA watches as the love of her life moves around the stage. For the first time Alex really listens to the lyrics and can't help but laugh at the irony of that fact that she's practically living it.

She just knows that Olivia's searching for Blonde hair and blue eyes. Too bad she's now a brunette. She sits in the back corner secluded but never taking her eyes off of the gorgeous form. She feels the words as Olivia sings them. They mean so much to her. It's exactly how she feels.

Alex feels the words reverberating in her head. Olivia's trying to send her a message she's sure of it. She wouldn't just show up in Milwaukee without some sort of reason. 

Suddenly the meaning of Olivia's words hit her full force. "I think they got the alias that you've been living under." Valez's men know about her. She's in danger. Once again she'll have to move. 

Gloria

Olivia's gorgeous voice fades. The crowd erupts into cheers. Olivia watches as a brunette stands and leaves the moment she's finished. She thinks nothing of it, just hoping that her lost lover heard her and gets to safety.

She stays until 830 just incase she can spot Alex. 

"Excuse me?" A finger taps her on the shoulder 

She whips her head around hoping to stare into crystal eyes.

She tries not to let the disappointment show as she's met with a young man.

"Can I help you?"

"I just wanted to say you sang beautifully. A woman asked me to give this to you." He hands her a small paper airplane 

Olivia nods her thanks.

With trembling fingers she opens the small note.

One simple sentence that both breaks her heart and puts it back together again.

I will come home.

She's instantly up on her feet running out of the bar. Running onto the cold street she searches frantically for any sign of her love. She sees nothing. Dejectedly she turns to leave. Never seeing the synthetic green eyes watching her from inside a petit diner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Olivia sings in this chapter is Gloria by Laura Branigan


	4. Chapter 4

It's only been a few months. Olivia will never know if Alex made it out alive or if she perished at the hands of Valez's men. Her death could have been covered up by the FBI to save their asses or she could still be on the run somewhere. Every week Olivia makes it a priority to be at Harley's bar, Thursday at 7Pm, without fail even if it's only for a few moments. She just hopes to see the smiling face of her lover.

Agent Hammond had told Alex that the very next night her ranch style home in the middle of absolutely nowhere was ransacked. She would have been dead if not for Olivia.

In all the visits over the few months Olivia hardly ever sings but tonight is one of those nights and she feels the need to. Not a single person in the world other than Alex and herself know the true feelings between the women. Olivia's heart had shattered when they were told of the blondes death. When the revelation came that she was alive Olivia didn't know if she was feeling relief or pure sadness knowing it could take years for Alex to come home and that there were still men out there hunting her.

5 and a half months after her first encounter at the bar singing, Olivia's back on the small stage gripping the mic tightly as if she were gripping Alex's hand, keeping her from slipping away. She doesn't even know if the former ADA had heard her first song let alone seen her there tonight or any of the other nights. But it was the last known contact that she had with her girlfriend. 

"This is dedicated to such an amazing person and girlfriend. Olivia, I love you so much." 

Unbeknownst to her, blonde hair flies up as the name is being called. Once again changed she is no longer Allison White, she is now Stephanie Lauren. Law professor in Chicago, Illinois. They had let her dye her hair back to blonde but had forced her into wearing brown contacts and cutting her hair up to her shoulders. It's a 4 hour car ride back to Michigan to the bar but every Thursday without fail she's there. Hammond doesn't bother keeping tabs on her unless her knows for a fact that she's in danger. And sometimes not even then.

This is the 22nd Thursday in a row that she's made the trip down to Harley's, hoping to once again catch a glimpse of her girlfriend. Are they even still girl friends? Apparently. Olivia still calls her it. Olivia always says her own name knowing that Alex will understand.

Alex watches the muscular form whisper a song to the DJ. She prays to god one day they can be together again. She craves the taste of the detectives lips. To run her fingertips over firm abs. So feel her writhe in pleasure beneath her. She wants her Olivia back.

Alex has caught glances of the brunette from across the room often but she isn't sure what makes tonight so different that she has to sing.  
"Olivia." Shes once again standing stage front and glancing with hopeful eyes to see the blonde. And although Alex has seen her many times, Olivia's never seen her. It's probably the hair. The detective spots a woman sitting in the back corner. Struggling to see through the stage lights. "This is for you baby. Happy birthday,"  
Oh right birthday....

The opening chords starts to play to an unfamiliar song 

Alex stares on from the shadowed corner, mesmerized by her lovers beauty and her pure voice. She could feel the words hitting her like a ton of bricks. Did Olivia really think she disappointed her?

Wait? Is she saying goodbye, no she can't let her go. Alex gasps as realization sets in. She's letting Alex go free. She doesn't want to hold her back no matter how much it hurts. Se doesn't even realize that she's crying until she can taste salty tears.

As if lost in memory Olivia has a serene smile on her face. Her eyes are filled with tears. She'll never forget but she'll have to move on. She doesn't even know if her lovers alive. Oh god how she wants to be the father of Alex's child to spend a lifetime with her. If only she'd come home.

Alex listens in pure agony. Tears pour down her cheeks. She doesn't care how she looks or if Olivia can tell that it's her. She jumps out of her seat and rushes out the door into the cool July night.

Olivia catches a glance of blonde hair flying behind a body as it runs away. She jumps off the stage and runs out after the mystery woman. 

Searching the street she sees nothing. It's as if the world froze just for her. She falls against the brick wall. Sliding down burying her head in her knees. Quiet sobs pour out of her throat. Gasping in pain. She sang that hopefully to draw Alex out. Not to make her run away, or think that she didn't want her. 

She couldn't have been there too long before something hit her knee. She shakily wipes away some of the tears inhibiting her from seeing clearly. On the ground is a small paper airplane. She gasps in realization. Please be from Alex. Please. With trembling fingers she gently unfolds the delicate paper.

Goodbye my love. I'll never forget you.

The detective screams. All the years of agony pour out of her body and she can't stop it. A gentle hand pulls on her shoulder. She looks up. Elliot's face hovers just beside hers. He's crouched down to her level pulling her into his arms.

He's always known. He knew when Olivia took time off of work. She's never done that before and this time she took a leave of absence. 6 months is what she asked for, right after letting Alex know about Valez's men. She hasn't been the same. Glancing at the now tear stained note proves his suspicions. 

He's holding his partner to his chest. Letting her rid herself of all the pent up emotion that's been building for years. He knew she'd be there but he didn't expect to find her crying her soul out. Reading the note he now knows why.

After several minutes something hits his shoulder. Olivia had cried herself into a fitful sleep. What a pair they must look like. Both huddled, her practically in his lap in the middle of the deserted street. A tiny paper airplane is on the ground beside him. He scans the quiet street and catches a glimpse of golden hair flash around the corner.

He gently looks over the small note. 

Take care of her Stabler. Be there for her now that I can't.

He looks up at the night sky. 

"I will Alex. I promise." He whispers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Olivia is singing in this chapter is Goodbye my Lover by James Blunt


	5. Chapter 5

It's been 3 years since that first moment at Harley's bar and karaoke. 30 months since their last glimpse of each other. In total It's been about 5 years since Olivia and Alex have had any conversation or face to faces with each other.

Olivia had received no contact. Not from agent Hammond or anyone. 

She had stopped going to the bar. After that night 30 months ago she swears Alex never came back. But she never knew that she actually did. Only once or twice in the beginning. Later in it became harder for the former prosecutor to deal.

Coincidentally Alex had been moved once again after sending Olivia and Elliot their last notes. They'd moved the now 33 year old to Seattle where she became a surgical resident. Having gone to med school years ago and passing her intern year but then leaving for law school. Who knew having your entire life ripped away would gave her an opportunity to go back. She's always loved medicine but she breaths and lives law. Her name is now Elaina Montero. A small town girl from Alabama. Her hair now longer than its ever been has been dyed red and green contacts she'd once again been forced to wear. 

She's sitting on her couch in her large apartment. She'd become extremely close with some of the attending's. She's not quite sure how. But she now lives across the hallway in the same apartment building as Callie and her wife Arizona. The head of Paediatrics and Orthopaedic surgery.  
Another 2 of her bosses are her room mates Addison Montgomery, the head of neonatal and fetal surgery and Teddy Altman the head of Cardiothoracic surgery.

Today is the 5 year anniversary of Alex Cabot's death. She'd called Chief Webber and asked for the day off. 

Teddy and Arizona also have the day off. Teddy walks into their living room to find the redhead who honestly looks freakishly like Addison sitting on the couch with her coffee in hand staring out the window at the grey rain filled sky. She had moved the couch over to the window so she could see out.

The attending's she'd become close too had started seeing her as a younger sister. Teddy sits down next to the younger woman and wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey sweetie what's up?"

Alex sighs. This is a bad idea. But she needs to let it out or she just might break down. She rests her head on the dirty blondes shoulder, she knows for a fact that she can trust the doctor. Honesty she reminds the former ADA so much of Olivia. Her strong nature. Her biting sarcasm but also the softness underneath the fierce exterior.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She whispers hesitantly 

Teddy brushes a red strand of hair out of her face. The younger woman reminds Teddy so much of her late sister. The young woman having died in a car accident nearly 10 years ago. Addison had left for work early that morning. Addison and Teddy have been dating for the last 7 months. They all know that Teddy's affection towards the younger redhead is purely platonic.

"Of course." Her green eyes look curiously at Alex

"Promise me you won't hate me? You're like a big sister to me and if you hate me I don't know what I'll do." Her eyes have filled with tears and it hurts Teddy's heart.

"Hey. El calm down it's ok. I'm not going to hate you not even if you ask me too."

Alex sits up pulling out of the older woman's arms.   
She inhales and exhales shakily.

"I didn't exist 2 years ago." She states quietly 

"I don't understand."

Deep breath. "My name isn't Elaina Montero."

"It isn't?"

Alex shakes her head. "I've been in the witness protection program for the last 5 years. My real name is Alexandra Cabot. I was a Federal Prosecutor for the NYPD."

Teddy stares at her. "You're not kidding?"

She shakes her head again. "I've picked up my life and moved 4 times in 5 years. I've been 4 other women. Emily Thomas. A boutique manager in Wisconsin. Then I was moved and I became Allison White, a mechanic in Michigan. there was Stephanie Lauren a law professor in Chicago. And now I'm Elaina Montero. Surgical resident." She pauses seeing the shocked look hasn't left the blondes face.

"Please say something." She whispers

"This is-its just... wow." She breaths running a hand through messy curls.

" I know."

"Can i ask what happened?"

"Um.. I was prosecuting a case with my team. A man had raped young women. I got tied up with some bad people. A Columbian drug lord, Cesar Velez didn't want his right hand man going to jail. He had made threats on my life but I didn't think anything of it. I mean it had happened all the time. I came into the office one day to find an envelope full of pictures of myself. In my office, in my house. Dressed, getting undressed. Everything. I was placed under surveillance. My entire team wanted me to drop the case but I refused. Stubborn pig headed ice queen Alex Cabot let nothing faze her. Then I was shot." She breaths in

Teddy gasps a little. 

"The FBI decided to fake my death and told everyone that I had died in surgery. Before they moved me the first time I had refused to go anywhere until I told Olivia. She was my girlfriend.., I loved her with all my heart. I love her with all my heart." She corrects. Teddy pulls her into a hug as her voice cracks.

"Oh sweetie. It's ok. I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"So you don't hate me?"

"I could never hate you...Alex." The blonde smiles

Alex cracks a smile as well. She can't believe that she'd ever doubted Teddy. 

"So uh... are you actually a redhead?"

Alex laughs and shakes her head. Of course that's what she'd want to know. "Nope blonde. Would you believe me if I told you that the green eyes are fake too? I've got blue eyes. The only good thing about these contacts is that I don't have to wear glasses now."

They stay silent for a moment as Teddy lets it all sink in and Alex revels in the fact that after telling the older woman she hadn't left her.

"Was your girlfriend?" Teddy asks 

Alex sighs letting a few tears fall, "Olivia Benson. She's a detective with the NYPD. Special Victims Unit. Love of my life. I haven't spoken to her in 5 years. I saw her for the last time almost 2 years ago right before I came here. She had saved my life 3 years ago when I was still Allison. Something happened and she warned me about Velez's men. Apparently they had been tracking me down. She told me through my favourite song. I left and 5 and a half months later I saw her again. It was my birthday and she sang again. She sang goodbye my lover by James Blunt. She wanted it to be over. But she ran after me and started crying. I threw her a note and she screamed in pure agony when she read it. It ripped my heart in 2. I want my Livvie back." She's now sobbing into Teddy's arms. The blonde hates this. She's never seen the younger woman as anything less than the best. 

"It's ok. El- Alex, I think her reaction proved that she's still in love with you."

"Was."

"What?"

"She was in love with me. It's been almost 2 years. She's probably moved on."

"If she loved you as much as you do her than she'd never move on. She'd crawl to the ends of the earth for you." She runs her fingers through red hair.

Alex sighs. "This isn't me. Alexandra Cabot doesn't cry. She doesn't show emotion. She scares criminal into confessing. She's a ruthless ice queen. I had a glare that made people part like the Red Sea. I was basically the younger version of Addison. I was all heels and pencil skirts and perfect everything. Now I'm a jeans and hoodie girl. I'm pathetic." She laughs bitterly.

Teddy pulls her arms away. Pushing the redhead up into a sitting position. She's grabs her shoulders and forced her to look into her eyes.

"Don't you ever say that again. You are not pathetic. Every person you have been, you gave them a personality. They are all parts of you that don't often come to the surface. I can't truly speak for Stephanie or Emily or Allison but Elaina is a wonderful person and an amazing surgeon. She has this side that comes out around children. She helps those who need to be helped. She is the other side of Alex Cabot the ADA."

"Thank you." She whispers 

"Anytime."Teddy pauses for a few moments letting everything sink in.  
"Can I ask you why this is all coming up now? I mean I've never seen you this distraught."

Alex sighs burying her head in her hands. "Today is the 5 year anniversary of my death." She says quietly 

"Oh sweetie. I'm so sorry that this happened to you."

The redhead nods.  
"Do you want to see her?" Alex asks suddenly

"Who?"

"Olivia."

Teddy smirks. "I'd love to."

Alex jumps off of the couch and runs to her room. She comes back carrying a small shoebox.

"These are the only things i brought with me." She sits back down on the couch and opens her little box. She pulls out letters and pictures. She flips a picture over showing her friend.

"This is Olivia." The picture shows Alex snuggled into the crook of a beautiful brunettes neck, smelling her hair and ticking her with her breath. Olivia is mid laugh. Her own hands tangled together with the blondes.

"She's beautiful Alex." Teddy seems to be taking her news quite well. It surprises Alex, she had assumed that her friend would freak out and make her leave. 

Alex pulls another photo out of the bundle. She chuckles quietly and shows it to the blonde. It's a group of 5 people including Alex. They're all laughing and grinning. 

"This was my team well Olivia's team." It seems that they're in a precinct. She points to two men in the photo who are off to the side chatting. "This is John Munch and Fin Tutuola. Munch is an extreme conspiracy theorist. He gets annoying sometimes. Fin is a cop that started off in narcotics. He's pretty awesome." She them points to an older man beside a younger man have a conversation with the two women. "This is captain Cragen. He treats Liv and I as if we're his daughters. He's probably the closest thing I've ever had to a father. My own died before I was born. Liv too." She then points to the younger man. "And this is livs partner. Elliot Stabler. I was so jealous of him for years. I thought he liked Olivia and Olivia liked him. I was wrong. He just kept a close eye on her. He's extremely protective."

Teddy rubs her shoulder. "They seem great Al."

"Yeah, they really are."


	6. Chapter 6

A few weeks later

Today seemed like it would be a pretty good day. She got to sleep in late and her shift didn't start for another hour. No late night wake up calls and there was coffee already made.

Alex decides to enjoy a cup of coffee and read the newspaper. Since she only lives a few  
Minutes away from the hospital she figures she has time. She slips her thick black rimmed glasses on, throws her red hair up into a messy bun and swipes the paper from the kitchen counter. 

By the next time she looks up it's already 750

"Fuck!" She swears her shift starts in 10 minutes and it'll take her 8 to get to the hospital. She rushes around slipping on a pair of worn blue jeans and a plain white long sleeve shirt. She throws on a old leather jacket and a pair of Nike runners before leaping for her keys and rushing to her car. 

She makes it To work in record time. After running into the lobby and getting to the change room she checks her watch, she only has 2 minutes to get dressed before she has to get onto rounds. Her interns are waiting for her outside the door,

She sighs. She can hear her group bickering. "Go do something in the ER! You better not be there when I walk out this door!" 

She chuckles when she hears sneakers squeak as they run away. 

Finally getting her scrubs on and her shoes laced up she exits the residents lounge. She quickly moves to the nurses station to get her patients charts.

"Dr Montero?" Nurse Kayla asks

"Hmm?" She doesn't look up. There's a strange anomaly in her patients x ray.

When the nurse doesn't answer she looks up finding the woman staring at her strangely. 

She whips around when she hears someone gasp. Teddy had just dropped her files. Alex stops to help her pick them up when Teddy pulls her down.

"Al. Missing something?" She asks 

"What?"

"Contacts!" She hisses 

Oh shit

"Oh my god." Alex automatically reaches up to feel her glasses still perched on her nose, realizing that everyone's seeing her with blue eyes. 

"Fuck" she moans. Quickly standing and walking back to the locker room.

No one notices the man in the dark jacket smirking from the corner. 

"Hello Alex." He whispers 

\-- 

2 months later

"Doctor Montero? These were left for Dr Karev. Do you think you could possible give them to him?," A nurse tells Alex as she walks past

She turns to see the young blonde woman holding a large bouquet of 2 dozen roses. 

"Oh. Of course." She's given the large base of flowers and walk into the residents locker room. 

Her fellow residents and friends are already in the room getting dressed for the start of their shifts or changing out of their scrubs for the end.

"Ooh someone's popular," Meredith grey smirks throwing her hair up in a ponytail. 

"Who're you sleeping with Monty?" Cristina yang brashly asks. The other residents had taken to calling her Monty saying she needs a nickname that is isn't too girly. It took Alex forever to get used to Cristina Yangs constant sarcasm and attitude.

"No one, they're for Karev." She snaps. Her brain fried from being up too long and not sleeping.the resident shoots her a confused look, 

"Who're they from evil spawn?"

"How the hell should I know crack whore?!"

Cristina comes up and snatches the small card from the large bouquet. 

"Hey!" Karev shouts

"Cristina give it back." Meredith laughs 

The Asian jumps around with fake enthusiasm. "Alex, I hope to see you again very soon -love CV" she says sarcastically. She pretends to gag. 

"Must be the wrong Al-"  
They all jump when the vase of flowers drops to the floor and shatters all around them, their heads shoot to face Alex whose own has gone extremely pale. Her fingers trembling before her.

"What the hell Monty?!" Cristina growls trying to step around the glass

"Who-who sent them?" Alex stutters

The Asian shoots her a look. "I don't know CV?"

Meredith gives her a concerned look. "You ok Elaina?"

She takes a deep breath and counts to 10 in her head. She brings up a bit of the ADA and pulls a stoic face on. Her hands are still slightly trembling so she clasps them together and gives a fake smile. " fine. I'm fine. Sorry about the mess. Just tired you know. Yeah I'll uh I'll clean that up. I got to go. Patients and all." She nods once and runs out the room. She needs to find Teddy and fast.


	7. Chapter 7

"Incoming trauma." Doctor Owen hunt calls.   
At the end of her intern year Alex had chosen her specialty to be trauma. She deals with the people before they're sent to other doctors. She's meant to keep them alive until they can get into an OR. She hadn't gotten a chance to make it to her friend before Owen called her away.

"Shit, Johnson, Carol! You're with me!" She calls her two favourite interns to help her out. Adam Johnson who shows great promise in trauma and Lena Carol who has gotten very good results in Cardio but also Paediatrics.

"Gown up." They throw on the horrid plastic yellow gowns and gloves, the ambulance rushes into the loading zone and the doctors run to get over.

"What do we got?!" Alex shouts 

Three people come out. Two of them were emergency responders and the third was the young woman on the gurney. In the dark of the night all anyone could really see was the dark red stained clothes covering her body. 

"35 year old female, gun shot wound to the chest. She's bradycardic and seems to be concussed. been in and out of consciousness for about 15 minutes." One of the EMT's called rapidly

"Page Cardio!" Alex shouts rushing the woman into one of the trauma bays.

"Shit she's bleeding out. I need gauze! I can't see what I'm doing."

Teddy rushes into the room.   
"What is it?" She gowns and gloves up

"35 year old female gun shot wound to the chest.." Lena calls

Teddy probes the wound. "Dammit. The bullet nicked the left ventricle. Let's get her stable and up to OR 2."

In the dead of the night there's only ever one OR running. Right now it's a race to see who gets there first.

Alex and Teddy both scrub in on the woman's surgery. "Did we ever get her name?" Teddy asks the scrub nurse.

He peers over the patients chart, "Cassandra Novak."

Alex pauses. She's heard that name somewhere.

"You okay?" Teddy asks 

Synthetic green eyes meet real green eyes. She smiles. "I'm good."

The surgery went well without any huge complications. Casey Novak will make a full recovery.

The 2 women are scrubbing out. Alex's interns having gone back to the pit.

"You want to tell the family or should I?" Alex asks

"I'll do it. You look like you haven't slept in 48 hours." Teddy smirks

"It may have been about that yeah." She laughs 

Teddy pats her shoulder. "I got it. Get some rest Al." Teddy had taken to calling her Al now that she knows her real name. She can tell that it makes Alex feel closer to her old self and it also sounds like El so if anyone were to over hear them...

"Thanks GI Jane." 

"You got that from Cristina didn't you?" She glares playfully

Alex chuckles and rounds the corner calling "Arizona actually."

"I'm going to kill her". The blonde mutters walking out to meet the family.

"Oh shit." Alex breaths. She whips around back to her friend. "Hey ted-" she sighs seeing the blonde already turning at the end off the hall. 

Teddy comes across 5 people in the waiting room. It's so late at night that they're the only possible one for Ms Novak. The wind gets knocked out of the Doctor when brown eyes look up. This was Alex's team. And that brunette is Alex's true love.

She schools her features. Nows Not the time for this. "Family of Cassandra Novak?"

They all at once strand up, there's all the people Alex had described to her. Captain Cragen and Elliot Stabler. John Munch and Fin Tutola, and her. Olivia Benson.

"Is she alright?" Elliot asks rushed

"Are you her family?" She asks cautiously, she knows how cops can be.

"We're the only family she has." Cragen tells her earnestly, 

Teddy sighs, her face gives nothing away. "Ms Novak had a GSW to the chest. The bullet ripped right through the left lung and nicked the left ventricle. She was bleeding very heavily when she got here." She watches as they all prepare themselves for the worst. "She coded twice. Once in the ER and once in surgery. Her lung was collapsed by the time we got to her and the left ventricle was in shreds...." she pauses. "But we were able to repair the damage to Ms Novak's heart and lung, she's okay.,"

She smiles as they all sigh in relief.

"Can we see her?" Olivia asks 

"She's being moved into the ICU. She's not out of the woods yet. The first 24 hours are always critical, if she can survive the rest of the day, then I believe she'll be on her way to a full recovery."

"Thank you, Doctor..." Cragen trails off

"Altman," she smiles walking away. "I'll make sure someone comes to get you when she's settled."

As a nurse brings them into Casey's room, Teddy walks down to the next floor to try and find Alex. She has to know what just happened.

She stops by to check on a patient and grabs their chart from the nurses station when all of a sudden a loud pop goes off. 

She whips around watching as a security guard slips to the ground. People starts screaming, a man stands there with a gun clutched in his fist. She looks up to his face finding dark cold eyes searching her form.   
There are people screaming and running but she finds her feet glued to the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Addison shaking her head in fright and motioning her to move.

Teddy's eyes never leave those of the man. He snarls at her and moves forward. She squares her shoulders, not letting him see the fear that's bubbling inside of her. He's holding a M3P machine gun. Something that she knows is the standard military issue machine gun. She knows just how powerful those guns are. She's used them. She's been shot by them too. 

They ended up with not even a foot between them. She can smell the stale whiskey on his breath. He grins and runs his eyes over her thin muscular form. She has to fight down a shiver of disgust and the scowl that wants to play on her face. 

"Where is she?" He hisses slightly

She keeps her voice steady. "Who?"

Aexandra Cabot," he growls in her face. She has to fight to stop her eyes from widening. Behind his head she catches the exact woman he's looking for. She's frozen in shock.

"I don't know who that is." She says. Teddy subtlety moves her head telling the redhead to run. She knows that Addison's still watching and so are some others. 

"I think you do." He smiles. Her brings his large hand up and gently runs it along her cheek. She flinches slightly closing her eyes. She opens them quickly finding Alex still standing there. She glares slightly at the woman as the man grasps her waist tightly. She stops a whimper from escaping her lips. The mans not paying attention to her face. He runs his horrible fingers underneath her shirt over her taunt stomachs as she tenses. She glares at Alex. "Go," she mouths

She sees the redhead shake her head once again. Advancing closer, "please." Teddy mouths, her eyes begging.

Alex turns reluctantly hoping to god her best friend stays safe. She's doesn't know what she'll do if teddy gets hurt because of her.

The blonde heaves a sigh of relief briefly forgetting about the horrid man violating her. He grabs her breast roughly over her bra. She gasps and smacks his hand away. She backs up a few steps.

He gives her a hard look. "You're feisty. I like that."

"Yeah well what do you expect. I'm a surgeon. We tend to get a little bit of a pain in the ass." She's attempting to distract him. 

Without warning her reaches up and slaps her. Her head flies sideways. Her hair acting as a curtain as others gasp in shock and fright. Her hand trembles as it clutches her cheek. A gash now just under her eye. 

"You will not talk back to me." He shouts. "Now where is she?!"

"I-I don't know." Teddy stammers. Her army persona failing her. It's the truth, she really doesn't know now.

"Wrong answer." And a bang goes off.


	8. Chapter 8

Alex is running down the stairs. Her tennis shoes barely making a sound. She almost trips as she hears a gun go off once again. She had seen the M3P in his grip. Just seeing the back of his frame she knew it was Valez himself coming to finish her off. 

She stifles a sob and falls to the floor. She curls up against the wall in the stairwell pulling her knees to her chest. 

"Oh god. Please Teddy please." She sobs 

"Elaina?" A small voice asks 

She jumps up wiping her eyes quickly.

Meredith stands there covered in blood. 

"Are you okay?" She asks 

Alex chuckles dryly, "shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Meredith looks to her shoes. "Oh um. Nurse Kaylee was shot. She uh didn't make it." She stutters

"Oh." Nurse Kaylee was one of everyone's favourite nurses. She never spoke back and she always did as instructed.

"Uh He's up on uh 3 I think. I um came to get some help. That's until I heard another shot." She's lying but Meredith can't know why she's running away.

Meredith's face goes pale and a hand makes its way up to cover her mouth. "Oh my god."

Alex pulls her into a hug. "Ok. Let's keep our heads clear. You go run and get help."

Meredith pulls back. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go get as many people out as I can. See if I can help. Ok? Go." She pushes Meredith away. Watching as the young woman scurries away.

Alex takes a moment to clear her head. she knows that she should leave or at least hide but she needs to help in some way. She runs down to the 2nd floor starting there.


	9. Chapter 9

Pain. A lot of pain. That's all she feels. She knows she hears a few screams but she doesn't comprehend what happened. Her eyes are screwed shut. An intense pressure suddenly causes her to cry out.

"Baby. Oh my god! Teddy, you're going to be ok. Please. Oh my god. Please you'll be fine." Addison has tears streaming down her face, she's on her knees not even remotely caring about her Prada skirt or her Gucci shirt getting covered in blood. 

She's pushing hard against her girlfriends abdomen. Teddy's eyes meet tearful blue ones. "Please! Help her!" She's shouting at the nurses and people around them hiding in the corners. No one moves. The shooter is still standing above the two women. Addison had shoved past him and now her back is to him.

Suddenly he grabs her shoulder and throws her back onto her back, she gasps as the air leaves her lungs.

"Addie." Teddy yelps weakly

The man growls as her roughly grasps her face forcing her to look at him.

"You're not Alex," he says

Addison whimpers as his fingernails dig into her face. "No-"

"Where. Is. Alex?!" He enunciates slowly

The redheads frightened eyes glance to her bleeding girlfriend. If she doesn't get him away from them, Teddy's going to bleed out.

"Down-downstairs I think." She stutters

He pushes her back again. Her head smacks against the tile causing her to blackout for a moment. When she gains her bearings he's gone.

She quickly crawls over to her deathly pale girlfriend, her face is an ashen white colour. Her lips are blue and her skin is cold to the touch. Her eyes are closed and for a moment Addison fears that's she's dead. Judging by the amount of blood on the floor around her, she doesn't have long if she doesn't get help.

"Teddy. Baby please. Please I need you. Oh- I love you so much please don't leave me." She brushes a sweaty piece of hair from the blondes pale face. "Please! I need help!"

As nurses and surgeons all rush around getting gauze and supplies, a familiar brunette runs or from around the corner with her gun drawn.

Everyone stops in fear staring at the gun. Olivia holds up her hands. "I'm NYPD. What happened?"

They continue working on the blonde surgeon knowing that they'll have to get her up to surgery or get her over to Seattle Pres.

No one answers the detective. Olivia spies Addison crying in the corner knowing that she'll be no help to her girlfriend in her state.

"Hi, I'm detective Benson. Can you tell me your name?" Even with a different hair colour, Olivia finds herself thinking of her old ADA. The clothes the blue eyes. Everything'.

"Addison." She says quietly 

"Addison. Do you know what happened?"

"He had a gun and he kept asking Teddy something. He shot her and he called me um... I can't remember but he was looking for Karev.. Alex karev. He's downstairs". 

"Thank you." Olivia whispers. She has a bad feeling. Alex... she's walking past the gurney with the pale blonde on it. She just wants to make sure that she's alright for now. As she turns to leave someone grasps her wrist. She turns to find vivid green eyes on her.

The blonde is trying to say something to her but Olivia can't hear her through the oxygen mask. The doctors are fighting her to keep it on, but she yanks it off anyway. She stares the detective straight in the eye and whispers one word that makes Olivia's blood run cold.

"Valez."


	10. Chapter 10

Liv POV

The nurse had just let us into Casey's room. I'd only been there a moment with the guys when Cragen and Elliot offered to grab some coffee and munch and Fin left to grab some stuff from Casey's hotel room. We'd only been here for a stupid mandatory conference. Casey wasn't even supposed to be with us, she'd come because she'd had nothing better to do. I can't believe how wrong it all went. 

I brush a few pieces of strawberry hair out of her pale face. She looks so small attached to all these wires. When Casey had first joined the team she's asked me out for drinks. I had instantly but gently rejected her. Alex is for me. I don't care how long it takes me to get her back but she will and I'll be waiting to bring her into my arms and kiss her senseless. The guys haven't been gone long when I hear screaming. There's a loud pop that I right away can identify. I let off a bullet on almost every case. Not that I'm proud of that. 

I watch as a young girl, who i assume is a nurse slips to the ground. I can't see the assailants face but I can tell that he's big. 

2 blonde doctors are instantly by her side attempting to stop the bleeding, even in a hospital with medical attention I know she's going to die. It was a clean shot right though the heart.

The man yells and walks away. I quickly un holster my gun and move my body into a defensive position. 

By the time I get to the end of the hall where the doctors are, it's too late. The young nurse, she couldn't have been more than 25 is already still. Her body no longer pumping blood, no longer sending signals to her brain to smile or wave. She's just a corpse.

The older blonde, dressed in dark blue scrubs looks up at me as I walk nearer. Her bright blue eyes hold fright. 

"It's alright I'm a cop." I tell her gently  
She nods in relief

"Is she?" I ask already knowing the answer.

The smaller Doctor in her pale blue scrubs nods wiping a tear from her eye leaving a streak of the nurses blood on her face.

"Ok. Ok I know this is horrible-" I'm cut off by the older doctor.

"Yeah well this isn't the first time.... oh god, Callie!" She whispers a little louder

The younger woman puts a hand on her shoulder, "Arizona, Callie's with Sophia remember? She's at home it's ok."

The blonde, Arizona nods again, her shoulders sagging.

"Derek's in New York right?"

The younger woman, who's name is embroidered on her lab coat is Meredith. I see her holding back tears. If this has really happened before this must be bringing back horrible memories.

"Mhmm. He's with Zola and I've got Bailey."

"Hey you're going to make it back to your children. Ok? We'll all be fine." I reassure 

Both women nod resigned.   
"Ok. I'm going to head upstairs, I need you both to clear the floors as best as you can. From what I can tell he's on floor 3 right now. I need one of you to call 911 but only after you're safe. You got that?" 

"You-you're going up there?" Arizona asks me wide-eyed. "Are you insane?! There's a fucking armed gunman on the loose!"

I give them a tiny smile. "Yeah I know. I'm armed as well. Ok? Ok let's go."

I watch as Arizona scurries around getting as many non critical people up and out as she can. While Meredith runs to the stairwell supposedly to get to the floor below. 

Just as Meredith runs away from sight another bullet goes off. Shit! It's upstairs. I run up the stairs to floor three as fast as I can. Dammit! I'm too late. There a redhead woman on her knees pressing her hands to a wound on a blondes stomach. Damn she's a surgeon too. The woman bleeding is the doctor who saved Casey. The blood is seeping quickly though the redheads fingers as she cries. They must be close huh. I freeze for a moment as a memory of Alex being the one lying under my fingers bleeding flashes though my mind. 

The redhead screams for help and all of a sudden everyone springs into motion. The redhead is pushed aside as nurses and doctors aid the blonde. She'll probably be the only who can tell me what happened.

Before I know it I'm right in front of her. She's sobbing. 

Hi, I'm detective Benson. Can you tell me your name?" Her blue eyes look up and instantly the wind is knocked out of me. If she had a different hair colour she could be Alex's twin. Albeit a little older. 

"Addison." She says quietly 

"Addison. Do you know what happened?"

"He had a gun and he kept asking Teddy something. He shot her and he called me um... I can't remember but he was looking for Karev.. Alex karev. He's downstairs". 

"Thank you." I whisper. I have a seriously bad feeling. I need to check on that blonde woman. Call it being a detective or out of pure hope that some lunatic didn't kill another person. I slowly walk up to the gurney that's she's lying on. She's very pale but I can hear her heart beating fairly strong though the portable EKG, I turn away and suddenly there's a hand around my wrist. I find vivid green eyes staring at me. Wow, they're beautiful.

I think she's trying to tell me something but all I hear are mumbles though the mask. The doctors are telling her to keep it on as she struggles with weak fingers. She finally gets it off. She stares at me as if she's baring her soul as if she's looking into mine. She whispers the one name I wish I'd never have to hear again. 

"Valez."


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies!
> 
> I'd love to know how you think the story's coming along? If there's any comments that you have let me know!
> 
> Love and Kisses, Bre <3

Alex is running. She's running around the 2nd floor knowing that's it's an incredibly stupid thing to do. But she can't just leave patients and people to die. 

She hears another gun shot and flinches freezing in place. It sounds incredibly close. She frantically searches in all directions. She runs full force to the nearest patients room. She shoves open the door almost tripping over her own feet. Her white tennis shoes giving no traction. She forces herself not to slam the door shut in fright as she knows it will just attract Velez. Damn. How the hell did he find her?!

She paces running shaking hands through auburn hair. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." She repeats quietly in a mantra still pacing.

"Monty?" Her head snaps up in fright as she instinctively backs up against a wall. She heaves a sigh of relief as she sees Alex Karev and Miranda Bailey. Both of them have stuck their heads to peek out the bathroom door. The patients bed seems to have a body but the sheet is up covering their face as if they hadn't made it.

When they see Alex they audibly sigh as well. Bailey slowly makes her way out of the small room with Karev following closely behind.

"Where is he?" Bailey asks

"I don't know. I-I think he's on this floor though."

The 3 of them listen as they hear a mans voice calling out around the floor. 

"Alex?" He shouts in a sing song voice. "Where are you Alex? We have some unfinished business to do!"

Bailey turns to Karev. Because of his same name she automatically assumes it's him as Alex no longer goes by her real name.

"What the hell did you do to him?!" 

He through sup his hands. "The hell if I know!! I don't even know who that guy is so how could I have done something to him?!"

"Come out come out wherever you are!"

"Fuck," Karev says quite loudly. Bailey shh's him giving him her famous glare. But Alex could see that her glare was laced with fear. They'd all gone though this before. Karev was shot and had almost died and Bailey had a close call as well. Alex can imagine what they're going though. The fear and everything lived with her everyday since she'd been shot.

They all freeze and panic when they hear rooms being opened and shut loudly. The footsteps getting obviously clearer. "Shit," Alex whispers. They all run trying to find somewhere to hide. Karev slides under the bed as the two women rush to the bathroom and shut the door holding it shut. Both breathing heavily as they hear the door to the exam room slam open with a loud bang.

Alex brings her hand up to her mouth and bites down on her closed fist to stop herself from screaming. She could see Bailey quietly praying in the corner of the room hiding beside the toilet as she herself hid in the furthest part of the shower away from the door, she bites down harder as she hears Karev yell.

"Who are you?!" She hears Velez shout in anger

"Alex." 

"You're not Alex. At least not the one I'm looking for." He growls 

She hears loud footsteps coming towards the door. Her shoves it open breaking the lock.

Bailey and herself scream. He eyes the redhead hiding. He stomps over and grabs a fistful of red hair effectively ignoring Bailey.

"Hello Alex." He smiles cruelly. She stares up at him in shock and fright.

Before she can comprehend what's happening he's hauling her out of the room by her hair. She's being dragged across the floor whimpering in pain.

He drops her in the middle of the main nurses station on the 2nd floor. He hauls her up painfully by her arm and presses the gun against her temple digging it in until Alex winces.

"Get out here!" He shouts. Alex glances around frantically. Nothing moves. "I know you're there, if you don't all come out right now I'll shoot her fucking head off!" One by one doctors nurses and patients comes out of closets and rooms and behind desks. Alex knows everyone there. To her left she can see Bailey supporting Karev who has a laceration to on his forehead, to her right, Meredith, Cristina and the rest of the residents stand frozen seeing their friend in danger. Arizona and Addison are standing at the front of her staring in shock. Addison's eyes are red rimmed. Damn it. Teddy why'd you have to play hero?!

"Take a good hard look at the scum you work with," he growls smirking evilly, "do you know who this bitch is? Do you?!" He digs the barrel of the gun harder against her head. She's already got one wicked headache.

"Go ahead. Tell them sweetheart." He kisses her cheek

She struggles in his arms spitting at him. "Go to hell!" She hisses. She hears a few people gasp in surprise.

He swiftly punches her in the stomach, laughing as she doubles over groaning in pain.

"That was just stupid...Elaina." His face hardens again. "TELL THEM!" He roars. She winces again as his grip on her arm tightens forcefully.

Her face is blank. She has her Prosecutor face on not letting him see any of her emotions. She turns and faces her colleagues. "My name is Alex Cabot." She says exactly as he tells her not giving anything more. She can see the confused looks on everyone's faces. 

"That's right. You're darling little Elaina has been lying to you ever since she got here. She's been running away like a coward for 5 years. Poor little Alex." He says condescendingly. She glares at him.

He growls when he sees that he hasn't shaken her. He whips around and shoots the nearest person. A young male patient drops to his knees before falling over.

"No!" She screams, struggling to get to the man. "Stop it!" He chuckles and shoots another person. An older nurse in pink scrubs.

"Please!" She stops as he turns to her with his gun pointed right to her heart, "we're going to finish this Alex. Right here right now. This time you don't have any of your cop friends to help you."

"VELEZ!" A female voice shouts. He quickly spins to find Olivia Benson with her glock pointed right at him. "Put the gun down!"

Alex has tensed hearing the female voice from behind her. She instantly knew who it was. She doesn't think she's ever felt more relief or fear at the same time before. Her love has come to save her from this hell hole. She will be able to honour her vow in the first note to Olivia. She will come home. To Olivia.

Velez startles drawing Alex closer into a chokehold. She desperately claws at his hand that is cutting off her air supply.

"Move and I'll shoot her!" He digs the butt of the gun deeper into her head. Everyone around them is cowering in fear but watching in fascination.

"No you won't Velez! Not this time!" Elliot Stabler has his gun drawn as well, captain Cragen, munch and Fin all stand around the drug lord in a large circle. A Mexican standoff, 

"Put down your weapon," Cragen calls calmly

As he's distracted Fin creeps up slowly behind him. He, without making contact thrusts the barrel to Velez's head.

"Put it down," he growls slightly.

Seeing that he's cornered and not wanting to give the detectives the satisfaction of killing him he drops the gun but not before whispering one last threat into Alex's ear.

"This isn't over. My men know exactly where you are and they're coming for you. Don't even bother showing your face in New York ever again. Rafi will get you. He's never failed."

He cackles mercilessly as Fin and elliot cuff him.

Olivia spins around to see her long lost girlfriend after all this time. She's already gone. She looks up and finds half of the staff pointing in the direction of the nearest staircase . She sprints to catch up. She runs down one flight then two and when she gets to the third the only thing waiting for her is a little paper airplane. Her breath catches in her throat. 

"I promised, but it may not be anytime soon. I don't want you to forget me Livvie. But I do want you to be happy. If someone else can make you happy please don't hold back just because of me. I love you so much. ~< always, your princess"

A single tear slips down her Olive complexion. She gently folds the paper back into its original shape. She'd put in on her dresser along with the 2 others.


	12. Chapter 12

It has been 11 months since Velez had been taken to trial. 11 excruciatingly long months.

"Wait! Ms Cabot you can't leave." A man in a familiar dark suit tells her.

"I don't care. I can't take it anymore. I need to go home. It's been almost 6 years!" The blonde walks around the federally appointed house she'd received when she arrived in Alabama. She grabs her clothes from the hangers, not even bothering to fold them. She just shoves them in her bag.

"We're trying to keep you alive." He bargains 

She stops. "This isn't living. Samantha doesn't exist. I'm Alex Cabot damn it. I’m sick of running away. I am so tired that I’m in physical pain.” Her cerulean eyes fill with tears that she refuses to shed. “I can’t do this anymore. I need to go back."

She doesn't bother letting him finish before she's out the door. She has to call a cab now instead of catching one. Perks of living in the suburbs she supposes. 

"Wait!" The man comes running out the door after her. He's breathing heavily holding his cellphone in his hand,

"What?!" She snaps

"They're dead." 

"What?" Blue eyes widen 

"Velez's men. It was a bomb. They're all dead. You're free." 

She collapses to the ground onto her hands and knees. "Oh my god." She sobs

She was ready to deal with the consequences of leaving but she hadn't expected to be let go on her own free will. The nightmare is finally over.

After signing a few forms relinquishing the FBI's hold over her she jumps into the cab.

She checks the wallet they had given back to her. She finds her old ID staring up at her. Check this. Alex Cabot just rose from the dead.


	13. Chapter 13

The redhead smiles at her girlfriend as she answers the annoying phone. "Teddy Altman's phone."

She listens as a woman stutters slightly. "Oh um is Teddy there?"

Addison glances at Teddy and smiles as the blonde grins. "She is, may I ask who's calling?"

"I'm uh I'm an old friend of hers from Med school, we haven't been able to talk for a while. My names Al." Alex prays that Addison buys it. She hates having to lie to the redhead that she thought of as another sister. She may be a free woman but she needs to talk to Teddy first.

"Oh um. One moment," Addison places the cell against her chest turning to the couch potato blonde. "Hey um some girl from Med school is asking for you," she sees the confused look in her girlfriends face. "Her name is Al?"

A flurry of emotions cross the doctors face. Confusion, shock, a tiny bit of anger, relief and a whole lot of happiness. 

"Oh gimme." She reaches out her hands waving her fingers around in anticipation. Addison shoots her an amused look full of adoration.

"Um... is it possible for you to grab me a cup of coffee? Please?" She pulls her cutest pouty face sure that Addison can't deny her.

The redhead punches her shoulder slightly

"Hey injured here!" She shouts playfully

"Oh shut up! You stopped being injured 8 months ago. But nice try." She gives Teddy a chaste kiss and leaves the room.

She sighs in happiness then remembering the phone in her hand. Praying it's who she thinks she answers. "Al?" 

She hears a sigh of relief over the receiver.   
"Teddy? Oh my god!" A gasp of pain and grief washes over her. "I'm so sorry they told me you were shot. It's all my fault I can't lose you I'm so sorry-"

"Al you're rambling." The blonde cuts her off. 

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Al it's not your fault. It's that bastards. Where-where have you been?"

"Alabama." 

Teddy breath hitches slightly. "Who?" She asks simply

"Samantha Bauer. But I'm being moved again."

"Yeah? What's the story this time?"

"Uh... they're moving me to New York and I can't remember her name. I think it's something like Ali or Alex, oh yes that's it! Alexandra Cabot is her name. She's a prosecutor."

She pauses for a beat and waits for the coin to drop.

"Wait, that means..." Teddy trails off.

"That I'm free. Yeah pretty great huh?"

"Ahhhh!" Teddy shrieks in joy. Alex startles never having heard this side of the Doctor. Addison comes running into the living room finding the blonde fine, still talking on the phone on the couch pulled up beside the windows like Elaina had down so often. It gives the blonde comfort.

"You really mean it?!" Teddy interrupts Addison's thoughts turning her attention back to the blonde

Alex nods then remembers that her friend can't see her. "I really mean it."

"Al! That's fantastic I'm so happy!" She pauses for a moment, quieting her voice. "Will you come see us?"

"Why do you think I called? I wanted to make sure you wanted to see me." She says in a Watery voice. Teddy can practically see her smile

"Al, of course I want you to come. You'll always be welcome here. Plus I think the others deserve at least an explanation."

"I know," Alex sighs 

"I've missed you a lot. So please come by soon."

"How about tomorrow?" The former ADA smirks waiting

"What?! You're going to be here tomorrow?! Oh my god that's amazing. Come to the hospital, I'll get everyone together in the caf or something. I can't wait to see you!"

"Me too Barbie. I've missed you a lot."

After a few more goodbye they both hang up. Teddy leans back against the couch and smiles. While almost halfway across the country Alex leans back in her seat on the plane and smiles as well.


	14. Chapter 14

The next day 

"Sup bitches?! Guess who just got to perform a standstill?" Cristina calls walking lazily into the locker room.

"A standstill? No way," Karev says

"Close your mouth evil spawn I'm on a surgery high, I don't want to think about you or your mouth at a time like this." She says laying down on the wooden bench.

"Bite me crack whore."

"In your dreams."

"I can't believe you got to perform a standstill." Meredith breaths. "Why do you always get the cool surgeries?"

"Cause Cardio is hard core,"

Just then all of their pagers go off. They say to meet in the conference room by the chiefs office.

"Oh great Yang, what did you do this time?" Karev asks throwing on his stethoscope 

"Shut up Karev! We all know it's cause you and The chick from Dermo probably got caught screwing in an on-call room." She snaps back

"Ok guys break it up." Meredith can see where the argument was heading and it's her job to diffuse it.

They all walk into the conference room realizing that they're not the only ones there. Richard, Miranda, Callie, Arizona, Derek, Mark, Addison and Teddy are all gathered around the edges of the room with the chief standing slightly more to the front of the room. All of residents were there including Meredith, Cristina, Alex, Lexie, April, and Jackson. Also several nurses, scrub nurses and OR staff including anesthesiologists were present in the room. In total there were probably around 30 people or so people. Meredith realizes that everyone in the room are only from the surgical floor. 

The chief clears his throat and moves more into the front. "Everyone I know this is unscheduled and quite odd frankly, it shouldn't take too long and I'm hoping you'll all understand. One of our own is back and she'd like to explain to you all what happened with her."

The door opens and a tall blonde woman walks in. Her long blonde hair cascades down her back like a waterfall. She has thick black rimmed glasses laying gently on the top of her head. Her eyes are a piercing blue. She's dressed casually, she's wearing light wash jeans and a deep blue off the shoulder shirt further enhancing the vividness of her eyes. She ties the combo together with a Pair of nude strappy wedge heels. Theres something oddly familiar as she comes to stop in front of them. 

Teddy is the first one to speak.

"Al," she breaths walking towards the woman and meeting for a huge hug. 

"I'm so sorry." The woman whispers

"It's not your fault." Teddy glances over her, and fingers a piece of her long hair. "Blonde suits you a lot better." Addison all of a sudden gasps

"Elaina?" She says frozen

All of a sudden they all seem to catch on, this is Elaina Montero. Or was.

"Hi Addie," she hugs the redhead who seems to be frozen in shock

"Ok what the hell?!" Cristina breaks the tension.

"I owe everyone here an apology as well as an explanation." Alex sighs

"You sure as hell do!" Karev shouts 

Alex flinches slightly as Teddy glowers at the resident. "It's ok I deserve that. First of all I'd like to apologize so much to you all. It wasn't supposed to happen the way it did and for that I'm so sorry. I'm not Elaina Montero. My name is Alex Cabot. I am an assistant district attorney and federal prosecutor for the state of New York. 6 years ago I Took a case to trial of a drug lord and I received death threats." She pauses to let it all sink in. Already seeing the shocked looks on many faces.  
"Keep in mind that this had happened several times before and I didn't think much of it. Not until private photos were sent to my office Of rather compromising origins. I was put under armed guard and I was later shot, twice. One in the shoulder that tore through the teres major. I still don't have 100% mobility in my left shoulder. Then one the abdomen piercing my liver. I coded three times in the operating room. The FBI decided against my will that they'd fake my death and put me in witness protection. I have been 6 different women. I've had 6 different lives in the last 6 years. That man that came to the hospital was the man who tried to kill me. I'm so sorry for what happened here. It was never meant to end this way." She exhales loudly

"So if you're here, that means that you're... out?" Derek asks

"That's correct."

Meredith couldn't believe that This woman was ever Elaina. She is prim and proper and she has air of direct authority that intimidated them all. The woman they had come to know was carefree and spirited especially for her patients. There has to be that person within this one. No way could she have played that part so effectively.

"So you think you can come in here and apologize for the hell you put us through?!" Karev shouts. "People died because of you! Don't you understand that? Then you waltz in here like nothing ever happened and expect us to understand?!"

Alex never even flinches. She has a mask of pure stoicism. "You think I don't understand the consequences of my actions? Everything that has happened is my fault. You have no idea what I've lost. You have no idea what I've gone through. My mother and my sister died last year. They said it was a car accident but it was obviously tampered with. I wasn't allowed to attend their funeral. I was dead. They died without knowing that I was alive. Countless friends have been slaughtered because they talked to me. I've picked up my life 7 times. Not once could I tell anyone who I was or share anything about myself. My girlfriend promised to wait at the door for my arrival every night. But 6 years later I may have lost the love of my life. Why? Because I was wreckless and stupid. I wanted justice for the 15 women who were raped and murdered. You do not get to judge me on my choices. I know exactly what I've lost Alex Karev. You don't know what I've gone through just to be standing in front of you now. So again. I'm sorry. I really must be leaving now." She turns on her heel and walks off leaving the entire room in shock and sorrow. 

"I can't believe her!" Karev shouts

"Fuck off Karev!" Teddy shouts stalking out after the tall blonde.  
Meredith, Addison, Cristina, April, Arizona, Miranda and Callie follow them.

"Alex wait!" Teddy calls running after the blonde. She stops after seeing her friend walk into the nearest exam room.

The other women follow them.

Alex starts breathing hard. Her mind is fuzzy and she's having trouble making sense of things. Her hand goes up to her heart feeling it beat wildly. She's hyperventilating. Then she feels a pair of arms around her.

A soft familiar scent fills her senses. Her hands clutch desperately at the persons top.

Before she knows it there's 5 pairs of arms wrapped around her. She slowly calms back down not even realizing that she'd been crying until Teddy wipes them away. Cristina, Miranda, And Callie were standing in the corner while, Teddy, Arizona, Meredith, Addison and April all stood by her side. They were the ones to calm her down, she'd been the closet with them anyway.

She wipes away the remnants of the tears and a takes a deep breath bringing her walls back up. Meredith places a gentle hand on her arm.

"Don't do that. Don't push away."

Alex lets out a solemn laugh. Void of any real joy. "I'm sorry." She whispers once again.

"It's not your fault sweetie." Addison says gently. "We're just so glad that you're ok." The other women including Cristina surprisingly nod in agreement.

“But Alex-“ she tries

“Fuck Alex!” Cristina yells 

“I own his ass. He can suck it up.” Miranda nods folding her arms.

Alex nods. “Thank you.” She mumbles 

"You have a girlfriend?" Arizona suddenly asks out of nowhere. Addison and Teddy shoot her similar looks of disbelief mixed with amusement.

"What? It just caught me off guard." She raises her hands in surrender

Alex lets out a watery chuckle. "Olivia. Her name is Olivia. And I don't actually know. She might have moved on." She sighs looking down to her heeled feet and her cerulean toes. 

"Shut up." Teddy says firmly. Alex's head snaps up as the others turn to her in shock.

"Ok shut up. I've seen the photo I've seen the way you talk about her the way your eyes light up. You need to shut up and get over your self and get back to your goddamn girlfriend who's waiting for you. Don't think I didn't know about the paper airplane." Her green eyes twinkle. 

Alex's face is gobsmacked. "How did you-"

"I have my ways now call him."

"Who do you want me to call?" Alex puts her hands on her jeaned hips raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow 

"I want you to call her partner. Call Stabler Al. He can get her to the bar." Teddy's lips curl into a mischievous smirk.

"You mean-?" Blue eyes widen

"Yup. You're going to sing for your girl."


	15. Chapter 15

Teddy reaches out and snatches the cell phone in the blondes grip. Alex doesn't even bother protesting knowing arguing is futile.

The Doctor searches momentarily for Elliot's number dialling it before Alex could speak. She puts it on speaker.

"Stabler." A man answers

"Hello." Teddy starts. "Is this detective Elliot Stabler?"

"It is, may I ask who's speaking?" He says slowly as if he were incredibly suspicious, which Alex knows her probably is.

"My name is Dr Altman I'm calling from Seattle Grace Mercy West hospital. Don't worry nothing bad has happened. I'm calling for an old friend of yours. She's been with us for a while now and see desperately wants to come home." She reassures him.

"Is this a prank?"

"No i assure you it's not a prank. She'd like to speak to you but if you could Please go to a room where no one can over hear you."

He sighs. Still suspicious but intrigued. "Ok."

"Elliot?" Alex says gently. Cautiously 

His breath hitches. "Alex?"

The group of women all smile. Alex heaves a sigh of relief running a shaky hand though her blonde tresses. She nervously wipes her sweaty palms on her jeans before Teddy and Addison grab a hand each and grip tightly in happiness for their sister.

"Hi El." She smiles

"I can't believe it's you. Are you- are you safe?" 

"I'm okay. I- Velez's men are gone. I'm out now."

"You're out? Oh my god. Alex does Olivia know?! She'll be so happy." He says loudly

"She will?" She asks in a frightened voice. 

"Cabot. What happened to you? The badass ADA who isn't afraid of anything. I mean a mad man held a gun to your head and you didn't even flinch. And I'm not talking about Velez a couple months ago."

Meredith punches her in disbelief. She smiles somewhat apologetically. "6 years changes a person Elliot."

"Not the ice queen". He says firmly. "Anyway. You need to tell Olivia she'll be over the moon. For 6 years she's been moping around. She brings you up in conversation as much as possible. It's as if she fears we'll forget about you. The last few months have been worse though. She's not sleeping or eating or really anything."

"Liv" she whispers

"Excuse me detective" teddy cuts in. "Do you remember the bar that your partner sang to Alex?"

"Yeah?" He says questioning. .

"Can you make sure you get her there for Thursday at 7? You do your part we'll do ours and voila! our favourite girls will be together!" 

"You got It Doc." He knew for a fact that it would be easy since he knew that in the last 8 months Olivia had been going back to that bar every Thursday. It was a long commute but she needed to be there

"Thanks Elliot". Alex says

"You got it Cabot. Be safe."

"You too."

Teddy hangs up the phone and smiles. "Ok we've got 2 days to pack and get our asses to Michigan."


	16. Chapter 16

Harley's Bar

As usual Olivia finds herself sitting in the semi-crowded bar downing a shot of tequila. It's not her favourite drink in the world, no it was Alex's and for some reason it makes her feel just a little bit closer to her girlfriend. Girlfriend? Ex? Who knows. 

A gentle hand rests on her shoulder, she jumps slightly before turning to face the stranger. 

"Is this seat taken?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Drinking alone isn't any fun, so i decided to tag along."

She knows protesting is futile. So she sighs and pours them both a shot. "Thanks El."

"You got it Liv." He smirks. He knows exactly what's going to happen tonight.

It came around to 7:30 and Elliot was wondering if Alex chickened out and even decided to come. He glanced around subtly so Olivia wouldn't notice. He caught eyes with a green eyed woman with dirty blonde curls. She straightened up and smiled at him waving quickly before turning to whisper something to the redhead beside her. What the hell? He keeps his eyes on them as the redhead turns and gives him a small smile as well. They seemed to be in a group of women. At least 8 or 9 of them. 

"What are you looking at?" He jumps slightly and meets his partners questioning gaze.

He instinctively glances over to the women again with Olivia following his gaze. She smirks. Too tipsy to even recognize her as the women who was shot 

"Really?"

"Shut up. I thought I knew one of them."

"Sure you did." She says suggestively 

He bumps his shoulder with hers placing a fake scowl on his face. She laughs and he thinks it's the first time he's heard it in at least a year.


	17. Chapter 17

Teddy, Addison, Meredith, Cristina, April, Callie, Arizona, and Bailey are standing around the women's bathroom where Alex refuses to leave. 

Meredith and April are gently trying to coax her out of the room. 

"Come on Alex, you need her she needs you, what's the problem?" Meredith asks

"Um maybe the fact that I don't actually know that's she even wants to see me! How should I know? She might not even be here." Comes the muffled reply though the wooden door.

Teddy's glancing around the place in search for something she might recognize or maybe even the woman who's haunting her little sister's dreams.

Green eyes meet greyish blue from across the crowded bar. It's hard to tell in the dark but she swears it's the man from Alex's photo of the team. She smiles a little and waves. He gives her a confused look. Obviously he wouldn't know who she is duh.

Without taking her gaze away from the pair she blindly hits Addison who's deep in conversation with Callie and Arizona.

They're talking about Sofia being with Mark or something. The blonde elbows her again.

"What?" She snaps slightly

"There they are," Teddy says pointing slightly 

Addison follows her girlfriends gaze. A man and a woman are sitting beside each other. The brunette head resting on the mans shoulder. 

She raises an eyebrow. 

"You sure they aren't together?" Arizona asks Quietly

Callie punches her wife on the arm and sends her a pointed look. 

"Thats it!" Teddy shouts suddenly 

They jump looking at the now excited blonde. "What?" 

She doesn't answer, she pushes her way past Meredith and April standing right next to the door. She smiles devilishly. She pauses a moment before taking a few steps to the side of the door and motioning the other women to do so as well.  
She then knocks on the door as if she's in a hurry.  
"Al come quick! Stabler's kissing your girl!" 

They're friends faces are split between shock and trying and failing to keep their laughter in. Teddy moves back to the side of the door and raises 3 fingers silently counting down.

"3....2....1...." and the door bursts open with Alex running wildly out. Teddy and Callie catch her before she can make a fool out of herself

"Let me go! I'll Kill him!" She squirms 

"Hey, al I was joking." Teddy says. The blonde deflates in their arms. She glares up at her friends. "That was mean."

"Yeah well we had to something to get you out of there. It looks like Olivia's getting kinda wasted, though she has good taste in poison." Meredith says

Alex glances over and her breath hitches. She's looks so beautiful. "Liv hates tequila." She says quietly

"Hmm?" 

"She hates tequila. She'd rather a beer. I'm the one who likes it."

"Oh."

"Ok well you go get your goddamn woman or do I have to knock some sense into you?!" Bailey all of a sudden barks. She may be small but she's scary.

She turns and starts pushing Alex toward the table with the 2 detectives. The blonde pulls away and walks over to a corner hiding. The group head over to try and persuade her. 

Teddy sighs. Addison chuckles and wraps her arm around the blondes waist. She kisses her temple. "What's on your mind love?"

"I thought this would go smoother. I hate to see her upset."

"I know Teds but you can't force her to do anything."

"I know. I love you Addie." She sighs again and rests her head on her girlfriends shoulder.

"Ok," Addison grabs her hand and pulls her up to the stage where the DJ is taking song suggestions. 

"Addie?"

"Hold on." They're on stage walking hand and hand to the man. Teddy looks around nervously when Arizona sees her out of the corner of her eye and tells the others. They watch as Addison hands something to the DJ. Teddy searches for Olivia and Elliot in the crowd. She finds blue eyes again looking at her curiously. She smiles and slightly nods her head to the brunette beside him. His mouth makes a silent "oh" before he nods. Addison whispers something to the man before pulling Teddy off the stage.

The DJ seems slightly excited as he pats the mic getting everyone attention.

"All right everyone. We're going to play a new game called random selection. Where I choose a random person and someone else will name a random song. And that person or persons will be up and performing for us." The crowd gives a slight groan but they seem excited as well.

"Addison what did you do?" Callie asks her 

The redhead smirks. "I just did some persuading."

"You really are Satan." Cristina says bluntly

"How many times do I have to tell you. I prefer 'ruler of all that is evil.'" 

The laugh.

The others giggle when the man picks Arizona, Callie, Addison and Teddy to come up and sing. Elliot who had been observing them was to pick their song. He whispers it in the mans ear.

When their up on the stage. He hands them all a mic and tells them to introduce themselves.

"My name is Addison."

"Teddy,"

"I'm Arizona,"

"The names Callie."

The crowd claps

"And your song is-" he pauses for a drumroll. "Don't go breaking my heart!"

They can hear the rest of their 5 people group cackling from the sidelines. The lights are too bright to see anything clearly so they might be glaring at random strangers.

As the music starts Arizona and Teddy stand off to the right beside each other and Addison and Callie do the same on he left.

Addison and Teddy start off singing. 

Addison smirks walking closer to her girlfriend. Teddy laughs two can play at that game.  
They end up right before each other. Then they move toward the back. Arizona and Callie take over. (Arizona takes over Addison's part same with Callie and Teddy)

The 4 women group together at the front of the stage Addison wrapping an arm around Teddy's waist and Arizona resting her head on Callie's shoulder.

They then switch over and Teddy and Arizona are singing together while Callie and Addison do the same. 

They all finish laughing together and hugging. Addison and Teddy give each other a chaste kiss and Callie and Arizona hug laughing still. The crowd cheers wildly.

Teddy glances out and the light having dimmed she can see the few tears that have slipped down Olivia's face. Her heart breaks for the woman and she knows that Alex is crushed. 

She quickly walks over to the DJ and hands him a 10 dollar Bill to pick Olivia and she tells him the song, saying she'll get the other person. He discretely hands her a mic as she walks off the stage.

She makes her way over to her group who're all laughing including Alex which makes her happy, it's been forever since she's heard her friend laugh. 

Before anyone can ask what she was doing the DJ announces the next person to go up on stage. Teddy having slightly explained it to him, he only picks her and doesn't tell Olivia that it's a 2 person song.

When the opening chords start to play, Teddy shoves the other mic into Alex's hand.

"Good luck counsellor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song the 4 girls sing is Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John ft Kiki Dee


	18. Chapter 18

Olivia POV

I watch as a blonde and a redhead woman walk onto the stage together. Being a detective for 12 years, I can tell when people are together. It's a great thing for them if they're open and they're able to be together but at the same time I hate it. It hurts too much to see what I could have had with Alex. I still love her with all my heart. For all I knows he could be dead or even married by now.

They're taking to the DJ and the blonde seems to have no idea what's going on. She's glancing around. Hey isn't that the woman Elliot was eying earlier? Ha! Man that sucks for him, she's gay. I put my head down slightly falling into to old memories of Alex and I. There was a picture I kept on my nightstand of the two of us and when Alex died it seemed to go missing. I didn't even put it together until the FBI told us that she was still alive. She'd taken it. I hope to God she still carries it with her. I hope she's safe and she's not in trouble. I chuckle lightly, if I know my girlfriend she'll be fighting and protesting at every stop. She'll make nothing easy for them. Even Hammond told us that she's a real pain in the ass.

I'm shaken from my thoughts as the DJ talk about a random karaoke game. Please don't pick me please don't pick me, thank god.

I watch as the same blonde and redhead go back up onto the stage as well as a blonde and brunette couple who're with the 2 women. 

He asks them to introduce themselves. Addison, Teddy, Arizona and Callie. They're all beautiful names for beautiful women.

When the DJ announces their song as don't go breaking my heart I almost lose it. 

I can feel the tears welling up. I hate this I'm a badass I'm Olivia Benson. Dammit Alex why do I let you get to me like this. Part of me hates being weak but the other half knows it's because I love you so much.

When they're finished there's a few tears still on my face. I wipe them off angrily before anyone sees.  
The blonde woman, Teddy, talks to the DJ once more before she walks off the stage into the waiting arms of the redhead.

"You," I hear. I look up and the DJ is pointing to me. Dammit. I shake my head but Elliot obviously thinks other wise because he's already pushing me to the stage. I guess I'm singing this one alone. I introduce myself but the DJ doesn't even tell me the song. It all falls into the place when the open chords start. Damn this song. I guess I'm on my own. Hold it together Benson, hold it together. Do not let them see you cry.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Lovelies!
> 
> You know it is really hard to write about a specific moment in karaoke when you can't actually write out the lyrics to the song. I still hope you like it though.
> 
> Love and Kisses, are <3

She looks like she's going to puke," Cristina says spying around the corner 

"No way she's going to breakdown." Meredith bets

"Will you two shut up!" Alex snaps. The others freeze. This is the first time any of them had ever seen her mad.

She sighs. "Sorry."

"It's ok sweetie." Teddy rubs her back gently. "You're going to get your girl back."

As Olivia starts to sing Alex's breath seems to stop. 

"Al, breath," Addison commands gently 

The blonde nods frantically attempting to catch her breath. "Ok. Ok."

She grips the mic so tightly that the others fear it'll snap. She takes another deep breath just listening to the brunette smoky gorgeous voice.

She takes a deep breath holding in the tears.  
Alex. It's all she can think of. It's tearing her heart open. 

Olivia and thinks back to the the day on the beach when the photo was taken. They'd been so happy. It was a year or so before Velez had even been thought about. Everything was perfect and they were so In love. It was a year before everything just fell apart. 

She doesn't think she can go. She has no way of knowing if the blonde is even still alive. She needs her. She's takes another deep breath about to start the next verse when someone cuts her off first. 

Olivia freezes hearing the familiar soft voice. She'd always made Alex sing for her because she loved her girlfriends voice so much. 

Olivia hears the emphasis put on one specific line in the Song. She can't help it, the tears start to pour down her face. Alex please god be Alex. She strains her eyes against the harsh lighting seeing nothing. No one standing there singing. She watches as the crowd searches for the mystery woman as well.

A blonde head of hair slowly walks out from behind a corner. Her blue eyes are filled with absolute love and horrendous fear. The detective is frozen until her cue to keep going starts.

Olivia stays stuck on the stage as the gorgeous former ADA makes her way to the stage. Blue eyes never leaving brown, 

Alex is now standing directly in front of the detective. Her fingers move on their own accord to gently push a strand of silky brown hair behind Olivia's ear. She watches as her girlfriends eyes gently flicker shut as if she's imagining the encounter. The blondes hand falls to cup the brunette tear streaked cheek. 

"Open your eyes baby girl." She hears the blonde whisper. Quickly she opens them to meet pale blue eyes filled with tears as well. She rushes to shut them just in case she's dreaming. She doesn't want to be.

Olivia hopes to god she's not imagining her love in front of her. She sighs softly as she feels gentle fingers wipe away her tears. Still keeping her eyes shut she reaches out to grasp the warm hand cupping her cheek. She links their fingers together knowing she's not dreaming when the steady rhythmic pulse in Alex's hand thuds gently against her own. 

The 8 friends of Alex's along with Elliot smile. Elliot jumps when a hand grasps his shoulder. He rushes to around to face the blonde woman from before, 7 others are with her.

"Elliot Stabler?" She asks

He nods. "Dr Altman. I remember you from the hospital."

She nods and pauses to gaze at the couple on the stage. "We did good." 

He nods. "Yeah we did." He sees captain Cragen, munch and Fin walk into the bar. He'd texted them earlier to meet him there. He waves them over

The music slowly fades out. The crowd stands on their feet cheering knowing they just witnessed something special.

Olivia's eyes are shut still gripping desperately to the warm hand in her grasp. She fears that if she opens her eyes Alex will be gone.

She doesn't realize that she's still crying until that warm hand reaches up and gently wipes away the teach with the pads of her thumbs.

"It's ok baby." A soothing voice whispers. "I'm here. I'm really here. I'm ok. We're ok."

Olivia's eyes open slowly. Almost painfully slow to Alex. When their eyes meet her breath hitches. No words come to mind she just stares at the blonde.

In the back of her mind, Alex can hear the startled gasps of Olivia's team and captain Cragen calling her name. But at the moment the only thing she can focus on is keeping Olivia's knees from buckling underneath her.

"You, you're here," The brunette cries

"I'm here baby. I'm never leaving you again. I promise." Alex brushes a piece of chocolate hair behind the detectives ear and kisses her forehead softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Liv and Lex sing is SOS by ABBA.


	20. Chapter 20

Unable to find the words, Olivia shoots into the blonde arms crying freely now. Alex holds her tighter than ever but them realizes they're still on stage in front of the entire bar. She unwraps Olivia's arms from her neck but still holding onto the crying detective as she guides them off the stage towards the door and outside the bar. She doesn't notice the rest of the group following them but she wouldn't be surprised to hear it, in fact only Addison, Teddy and Elliot followed them. The others staying to grab a drink. 

Once they're outside, Olivia pulls back and wipes her face off. Alex silently hands her a tissue. 

"Thanks." She whispers.

"Are you ok?" Alex asks quietly 

"Am I- Alex, am I ok?" She gets an angry tinge to her voice. "You left me." 

Alex hangs her head down. Her blonde hair cascading in front of her face like a veil, shielding her emotions from the detective. Her shoulders shake silently. 

Olivia sighs, her face softening. She grasps the blondes wrist attempting to hold her hand again. Alex suddenly flinches and pulls back. The fear once again in her eyes.

Her reaction completely confuses Olivia who tries to calm her down. She attempts to reach out to but Alex stumbles back more.

The group of people watching silently become shocked at Alex's actions, the only one who seems to understand is Teddy who moves toward the pair. A large hand clamps down on her shoulder as she turns to meet Elliot's gaze. 

"Let her help Alex. " he says

Teddy wriggles out of his grasp "she doesn't understand. She can't help if she doesn't know how."

He holds her back more as she fights to get out of his hold.

"Teddy." Alex whispers

"What? Alex I don't understand." Olivia says

"Teddy!" She screams

It scares them all. Enough for Elliot to let go of the blondes shoulder. The Doctor rushes over to the distressed former prosecutor. 

"Tink? Hey, it's Teddy sweetheart. He's not here you're ok. " Teddy gets right into her line of sight careful not to touch the shaking woman. 

The rest of them stare in a solemn sort of shock. They hadn't realized that Alex was this bad. A look of jealously and worry flashes across Olivia's face.

"Teddy?" Alex whispers

"I'm right here Tink. He's gone ok sweetie. He's gone." She can see that this time just telling her wouldn't cut it. This had happened to Alex several times after she'd told Teddy everything. The last few days had triggered it a lot more now that she was back in Seattle and around triggers and familiar faces. Olivia getting mad at her must have triggered it. Teddy's pretty sure Alex has PTSD. Having had it herself, it's pretty easy to diagnose others.

"Al I want you to close your eyes." She frantically shakes her head. "Hey listen to me. We're on the beach. Remember The ferry boat? We're on the boat tink. The gentle waves sooth your fears. The salty ocean air. You breath in deep. Breath in the air Tink. You can do it." They stand in silence watching the Doctor sooth the frantic woman. 

Addison smiles watching the woman she loves with Alex. She can't help but think of how great a mother she'd be.

Alex breaths in a huge breath and lets it out slowly as Teddy tells her. Her eyes flicked open when her breathing gets back to normal. She flies into the dirty blondes outstretched arms.

"I'm sorry." She whispers

"It's ok sweetheart. You're ok. You're safe"

After a moment Teddy pulls back and gently pushes her towards Olivia. 

She whispers in Alex's ear and waits for her to nod before walking over to Olivia.

"She needs you. So much, don't push her but please, she needs you. Don't be mad at her it wasn't her fault." She pats the detectives shoulder before making her way back into Addison's arms.

"You are amazing, you know that?" Addison whispers into her hair.

"I love you. Don't ever leave me,"

"Never baby."

Olivia hesitantly takes a step forward and sighs in relief when Alex doesn't step back. "Alex?"

"I'm sorry." She says downcast.

"I'm sorry i didn't try harder to find you. I should have tried harder to put Velez and his men away. It's my fault."

"Olivia," Alex sighs. She pulls the detective into a huge hug. "It's not your fault baby. I love you so much and sorry for leaving you. I didn't want to. I should have just dropped that stupid case. I'm so sorry."

"You shouldn't have dropped that case. He's in jail now and you're safe that's all that matters. I love you so much." Olivia grasp the blondes neck and pulls her into a passionate kiss. They break apart when they hear screams 

8 other women rush towards them screaming, The rest of Olivia's team come out drawing their weapons in fright.

The 8 women crash into Alex and hug her wildly.

"Oh my god!! Yes!!" April squeals 

"Congrats Monty." Cristina says actually smiling

"You deserve it Alex ." Meredith hugs her.

They put away their weapons laughing as Alex smiles hugging them all back .

Teddy picks her up and swings her around hugging her closely. 

"Thanks Teddy. I couldn't have done this without you." Alex smiles waterly

"It was all you babe. Anytime you need me I'm here."

Olivia's team comes over and they all take turns hugging the blonde and congratulating the couple. 

Cragen says he always knew.

Olivia sighs pulling the blonde to her chest. She Buries her nose into Alex's coconut scented hair. The brunette smiles, the distinctive smell of the former prosecutor assaults her senses. Vanilla, coconut and just a hint of lemon. It's one of her favourite things. 

Alex giggles as Olivia's nose tickles her neck. She cups the detectives cheeks and brings her in for a slow albeit passionate kiss. They only pull back when air is needed.

As all their friends turned family stand in the streets with them they can't help but think that this is the way life should really go, 

Alex takes her arm away and pushes a finger to Olivia's lips before she can protest. She walks over to Addison who's own arms are wrapped around Teddy and pulls a small slip of paper from her purse. Teddy chuckles at the bewildered look on her girlfriends face.

Olivia's eyes well with tears when she realizes what the blonde is handing her so gently.

A small fragile paper airplane now lays in her grasp. She looks up to find the sparkling blue eyes that she fell in love with almost 9 years ago, so she gently unfolds the crisp white paper.

I told you I'd make it home.

For the first time, in all her life, Olivia now knows the true meaning of the word home. Alex will always be her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here it is Lovelies!
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed Paper Airplane. I'd love to know what you thought about it. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey!
> 
> Love and Kisses, Bre <3


End file.
